Tim Holtz is the Best!

What an awesome teacher. His projects are just so cool. He adds some great little touches that just take them over the top. We used all the new Distress Inks plus a lot of his Junkitz embellishment line to make a shipping-tag-size ruler book. I didn't finish - he didn't expect us to. But it's a great reference book for some cool techniques. Many I knew, but some were new to me.

This was the best part!

Ahhhhh, Spring

I know it's spring when the irises bloom. They look so stately along the front of our yard. They herald the end of the rainy season and the promise of nothing but sunny days for the next few months. Can you say Hurray?

Tonight I head back down to Scrapbook Oasis for another class, with Tim Holtz this time. I know the class will be great! And, from prior experience I know to take a snack and something to drink. I'll share my project tomorrow!

Make it a great one!

Get a life!

Why do hackers do what they do? Why can't they just hack each other and leave the rest of us alone? It's very frustrating when they come into your site, make a mess, and leave without cleaning up after themselves.

Well, maybe some good will come of it. We have upgraded the messge board software and are now struggling with the gallery. Well, Pam is struggling. I'm just listening and trying to get her not to stress out too much.

The good side is, I got some scrapping done.

I love the way this turned out....the new Karen Foster papers are so soft and pretty.


I've discovered a new blog, for the new Autumn Leaves Freestyle book. I can't wait to get a copy of this. The layouts on this blog are such a tease.

It's the end of the world

Not really, just the end of the road. Route 1, that is. In Florida.

Someday maybe I'll get to the other end, up in Maine.

It was so much fun to get to meet Jen, and hook up with Andrea in Palm Beach Gardens. Andrea had been up all night at a crop, but she showered (just for us) and looked great, as usual.

Today, it's back to the grind. Well, it has been since Tuesday, actually. But adjusting to the time change and just getting out of vacation mode has taken a couple days.

Tomorrow and Saturday are two huge snack bars for Track is Back. I know I'll be exhausted once they're over, but relieved because they are the last snack bars I have to run for this season. These are big, though. Between the two nights, about 1600 athletes and 3,000 spectators. That's a lot of pizza and nachos! Lots of stress worrying about how much food to buy because I don't want to run out, and I don't want any left over. This is always the time when I throw up my hands and ask, "Why did I volunteer for this job, anyway?"

Got some great news yesterday - Matt passed the California High School Exit Exam on the first try! I had no doubts but it sure is a relief to have that out of the way! Makes you wonder what the kids are learning though, if they can pass the requirements in 10th grade! I guess they have to set the bar low so even those who struggle can graduate.

Well, I'm off to write the snack bar shopping list.

Make it a great one!

How low can you go?

Well, in the continental US, that would be Key West, where you can find the southernmost point and a lot of tourists and odd people in general. Not that I think these two are odd.....nope, not at all! :)

But this guy....well let's just say a picture is worth 1,000 words!

Our trip to Key West was really fun and probably the highlight of our Florida vacation - if you subtract the 6+ hour drive each way. Being someone who gets car sick, I can tell you that 6 hours sitting in the back seat of a car is one of the most boring things to do. I can't read or do anything other than look out the window (or sleep, which was an option). So... ho hum.

But, the Keys are so beautiful. We had perfect weather - the humidity left just for me and the sun was shining. The sunset entertainers in Mallory Square are a hoot! It's like a three ring circus, without the rings.

Flame throwers, tight-rope-walking dogs, singers, knife throwers, and chickens just milling around for the fun of it.

For those of you who don't know....there are wild chickens in Key West. They live everywhere ---- roosters crowing outside your hotel room at 5 am, makes you think you've been transported to a farm! And now, most of the hens have babies scurrying around under their feet. So cute. Too bad there's talk of rounding them all up because of the bird flu scare. Such a shame.

I, who live a mere mile from the Pacific Ocean, was right up at the railing to take a pic of the famous Key West sunset. Really beautiful, and very different from our sunsets here. I loved that this flock of birds took off from the pier at just the right time.

Matt was thrilled that the beach just 5 blocks from our motel was the only 'nude' beach on Key West. I'm sure his eyes were wide and roving behind those Foster Grants. Hey, he's 16, so why not! He was lucky enough to spot a few brave babes.

The other days were spent at Dad's place in Pt. St. Lucie. We did get to the beach almost every day. The ocean was really mean on a couple of them. Rip tides, pests, and nasty surf.

But, on the last day, conditions were absolutely perfect. I just love the jewel tones of the warm Atlantic Ocean. So relaxing to look at. And swim in. Every time I visit, it makes me want to move there. Guess I need to go in August for a reality check.

Why can't it rain at night?

It's raining. It's OK. We don't get much rain. And we probably need it. But when it doesn't rain a lot, even a little rain is bothersome. It would be great if it could just rain at night. Everyone would be happy.

Today's the day I get to drive to Scrapbook Oasis - a supposedly really nice, big LSS about an hour away. Used to be owned by the owner of Li'L Davis, but she sold it. Anyway, I'm taking a class from Elsie Flanagan and I'm really excited. I've become very fastinated by the doodle-style of scrapbooking which has become popular. Maybe I'll come home a doodler.